Shock absorbing mechanism



Aug. 2, 1932. J. F. O'CONNOR SHOCK ABSORBING MECHANISM Filed July 2"), 1928 fiwezzr ohn/F062 n/nar Patented Aug. 2, 1-932 UNITED-STATES JOHN F. oCONNOB, or

PATENT i orrlcs CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, Assisnon T w. amines, me, or CHICAGO, rumors, A oonr'onn'rron or DELAWARE I I I c snoox nssoniarn's rrnorrmsrr Application filed "my 27',

'10 employed with tandem spring gears, wherein each shock absorbing unit includes end followers movable toward and away from each other, side members having wedging engagement with the followers, and a pair of laminated plate springs interposed between the side members and flexed upon relative approach of the latter to absorb the shocks, the laminated-plate springs being separated by a spacing member having bearing surfaces on opposite sides thereof, cooperating with the laminated plate springs. I

Another object of the invention is to provvide a shock absorbing unit of the character indicated, including a pair of end followers movable toward and away from each other,

two laminated plate spring members interposed between the followers, a supporting carrier for said springs provided with a central partition wall spacing apart the two spring members, and laterally movable side members having wedging' engagement with the followers, to be forced laterally inwardly upon relative approachof the followers, to compress and flex said laminated spring members to absorb the shocks,the opposite side walls of the side members and the partition wall beingprovided with curved-bearing surfaces between: which the plate springs are flexed, wherein resistance, in addition to that offered by the plate springs, is had, due to the relativeslippageof the cooperating wedge faces of the followers and side members. 7 A still further object of the invention is to provide a shock absorbing unit adapted for use in connection with tandem spring'side castings of railway draft riggings, including relatively movable followers, longitudinally disposed spring plates interposed between the followers, side membershaving 1928, Serial m; 295,656.

wedging engagement" with the followers and forced laterally inwardly by said followers during relative approach thereof, to flex the spring plates, wherein the'spring plates are mounted in a carrier and are held against endwise displacement with'respect to the car rier to protect the parts of the mechanism against damage by the raw ends of the plates.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a laminated plate spring for railway draft gears including a plurality of nested plates, including a flat platespring enclosed by 'interengaged' U-shaped spring members, whereby a spring unit is provided wherein the raw edges of the plates are held out of contact with the cooperating gear parts to protect the same against damage.

Other and further objects of the invention will more clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawing forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a horizontal, longitudinal sectional view of a portion of a railway draft rigging illustrating my improvements in connection therewith. Figure 2 is a Vertical, transverse sectional view through one of the shock absorbing units, corresponding substantially to the line 2- 2 of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a vertical, longitudinal sectional View, corresponding substantially to the line 3- -3 of Figure 2. And Figure 4; is a detailed perspective view of one of the end followers employed in connection with my improved mechanism. V

In said drawing, 10-l0 indicate the usual channel-shaped center or draft sillsof a railwaycar underframe, to the inner sidesof which are secured side plates or stop castings l111, commonly employed in connection withspring draft riggings of the tandem type and in connection with which my improved shock absorbing mechanism is partic ularly designedfor use, The castings. 11 have the usual I front stop shoulders 1212, rear stop shoulders 13 13, intermediate or middle 95 main stop shoulders 141l, front limiting stopshoulders 151 5 and rearlimiting stop shoulders 16-16. The inner end of the drawbar is designated by 17, to which is operatively secured a yoke 18 of the well known type employed in connection with tandem spring gears. The yoke is provided with a central filler block 19 secured to the top and bot-tom members of the yoke by vertically disposed rivets. The shock absorbing means proper of my improved mechanism are disposed Within the front and rear openings of the yoke. The side castings 11 are also provided with supporting plates 20-20 secured to the bottom sides thereof, which support the shock absorbing means in a mannerhereinafter pointed out. The supporting guide plates 20 are preferably secured to the castings 11 by means of the usual bolts 2121, the heads of which are disposed within suitable openings in the castings, the castings being slotted, as indicated, to permit assembling of the bolts therewith.

My improvedshock absorbing mechanism proper comprises, broadly, two shock absorbing units arranged in tandem, each unity in cluding two end followers A A;-.two side members B-B; two laminated plate springs CC; and a carrier D.

The end followers A of each unit, are of similar design, each being in the form of a substantially rectangular box-like casting, open at the opposite ends and having spaced, vertically disposed side walls 22-22, horizontally disposed, spaced top and bottom walls 2323. The side walls are provided with inwardly diverging friction wedge faces 2424 at the outer ends of the casings and straight wall sections 25-25 inwardly thereof, the spaced wall sections 25 presenting transverse abutment faces 26-for a purposeherein after described. As clearly shown in Figures l and 4, a vertical opening is left between the friction wedge faces and the end wall sections of the side walls of the followers A, The top and bottom walls 23 of each casing A are cut away interiorly, as indicated at 27 27, thereby providing supporting ledges 4848 at oppositesides of the casing at the top and bottom thereof. At the outer end, the side walls of] each casing are pro vided with relatively heavy vertical flanges 2828, which cooperate with the corre sponding stop shoulders of the castings 11 in the manner of the usua-lfollower,

'The side members B of each unit are of similar design and are arranged on opposite sides of the mechanism. Each side member Bv comprisesa relatively heavy plate-like section provided with lateral outward extensions 29-29- at the opposite ends thereof. The extensions 29 are provided with wedge friction faces 3030 which cooperate respectivelywith the wedge .faces 24 of the two end thereby limiting outward separation of the casings longitudinally of the mechanism.

The members B are of such a height as to fit between the ledges 48 of the casings A and are directly supported by the bottom ledges. On the inner side, each memberB is provided with a concave bearing surface 31, adapted to cooperate with one of the lamina-ted plate springs C in a manner hereinafter pointed out.

"The carried D of each unit is in the form of a casing open at opposite sides and having horizontally disposed, spaced top and bottom walls 32+32 and vertical end walls 3333. The casing is of such a width as to fit within the openings 27 at the top and bottom sides of the casings and be guided by the side edges of the ledges 48. The top and bottom walls of the casing embrace the inwardly projecting'portions of the side members B and the front and rear walls 373 of the carriers are spaced apart such a distance as to loosely accommodate the members. B therebetween.

Each carrier D is, provided with a central partition wall 34 which extends longitudinally thereof and is formed integral with the top and bottom walls 32. As clearly shown in Figure 1, the partition wall 34 has the opposite ends thereof spaced an appreciable dis,- tance from the corresponding end walls 33 of the carrier, The side walls of the partition 34 are provided with convex bearing surfaces 3535 which are directly opposed to the concave bearing surfaces of the members B and are preferably concentric respectively to said concave surfaces, so that the laminated plate springs, when flexed to their full extent, will have true bearing contact with the bearing surfaces throughout their length. The end walls 33 are beveled off at opposite end edges, as clearly shown in Figure 1, so that they will clear the friction wedge faces 24 of the casings A when the mechanism is fully compressed, I

The laminated plate springs C are arranged partition wall 34 of the carrier D. Each laminated plate spring comprises two U- shaped spring platemembers 36. and 37 and a flat plate spring member 38. As shown clearly in Figurel, the U-shaped plate spring members are reversely arranged, end for end,

flat spring plate 38 is embraced at opposite end edges of said plate spring 38 and preventing contact thereof with the spring container. The U-shaped end section of the spring 38 also effectively houses the raw end edges of the spring plate member 37 so as to prevent the edges thereof from damaging the container for the spring unit. The legs of the spring 36 are so proportioned that the U-shaped connecting section of the spring 37 protrudes slightly beyond the end edges of the same when the spring unit is completely assembled, thereby holding the raw end edges of the spring plate 36 spaced from the corresponding end wall 33 of the carrier and protecting the latter from damage. As will be evident, the arrangement of carrier and spring units provided prevents displacement of the spring units both lengthwise and vertically.

The inner ends of the casings of each unit are spaced apart such a distance that they will engage at the same time that one of the follower sections 28 of one of the casings A engages one of the stop shoulders 15 to limit the compression of the mechanism.

The shock absorbing units of my improved mechanism are arranged respectively in the front and rear pockets of the yoke 18 and,

as will be evident, are compressed in unison during a compression stroke of the gear, the front follower of the front unit and the front follower of the rear unit being forced inwardly respectively by the front end of the yoke member and the filler block 19 respectively, during inward movement of the coupler. During a draft or pulling action, the rear followers of the front and rear units will be pulled forwardly respectively by the filler block 19 and the rear end connecting section of the yoke 18. The follower casings A are at all times supported by the guide plates 19 and the yoke 18 is in turn supported by the follower members.

The operation of my improved shock absorbing mechanism, assuming a compression stroke, is as follows: The end followers A of each unit will be moved inwardly toward each other longitudinally of the mechanism, thereby wedging the side members B laterally inwardly and compressing the laminated plate spring units against the partition wall 34 of the carrier D, thereby flexing the plate springs. As will be evident, in addition to the spring resistance offered by the members C, and the frictional resistance provided due to the slippage of the spring plates on each other during flexing thereof, additional resistance is offered by the slippage of the friction wedge faces 24 of the followers A on the cooperating friction wedge'faces of the members B.

During the entire compression stroke of the mechanism, the members B are directly supported v by the ledges 48 of the follower casingsA and theplate springs are supported by the'carrier D,'which in turn is supported by the bottom walls 23 of the two cooperating end follower casings A. In, order to prevent dama e tothe carriers .D, ther same are made of sue a length that the end walls 33 thereof will notengage the yokeends or spacing block 19 when the mechanism is under full compression V p Release of the mechanism is effected by the tendency of the springs 36 to straighten out, thereby forcing theside members B laterally apart and wedging theend followers A outwardly. Outward movement of the followers A is limitedby engagement of the extensions29 which engage the shoulders 26 on the side ,walls of the casingsA'. The parts of each unit are preferably so proportioned thatthe laminatedplate springs are under a slight initial compression. v 1 7 While I have-hereinshown and described what Iconsider the preferred manner of carrying out-my invention, the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications which come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim; 1 M I '1. In a shock absorbing mechanism, the combination .withfollowers relatively movable toward and away from each other lengthwise of'the mechanism of two sets of spring plates interposed between the followers and disposed lengthwise of the mechanism; a carrier for said plates, said carrier'having spacing means thereon interposed between the sets of plates and having bearing engagement withsaid plates and laterally inwardly movable means on opposite sides of said two sets of plates actuated upon relative movement of s aid;followers forflexing said plates by forcing the same against said spacing means,

2.In a shock absorbingmechanism, the combination with followers relatively movable toward and away from each other; of a pair of side members having longitudinally disposed, curved bearing surfaces onthe inner sides thereof, said side members and followers having cooperating wedge faces effective to force the side members laterally toward each other upon relative approach of the followers; two laminated plate springs disposed on opposite sides of the mechanism; and a spacing member interposed between said plate springs, said spacing member having curved bearing surfaces on the opposite sides thereof, cooperating with the laminated plate springs.

3. In a shock absorbing unit for railway draft riggings, including end follower casings relatively movable toward and away from each other, said casings having opposed interior wedge friction surfaces; of a pair of side members having wedge friction surfaces at opposite ends thereof, cooperating 4 means with the wedge friction surfaces of the casings respectively, said side members Having Bear;- ing faces on the inner sides thereof a carrier supported by said follower casings; said carrier having end walls and a central partition wall, said partition wall being lengitndinally disposed and having bearing faces on ofp' posite sides thereof; and a laminated plate spring interposed between each side member 10 and the partition wall of the carrier; said laminated plate springsl being held against relative movement lengthwise of the carrier by the end walls of the latter. i t

4. In a shock absorbing iinit for railway I5 draft riggings, including end follower'casings relatively movable toward and away from each other, said casings having opposed interior wedge friction surfaces of a pairo-f spaced side members disposed lengthwise of the mechanism, said members having wedge friction surfaces at opposite endsthe'reof, co operating with the wedge friction surfaces of the casings respectively, said side members r having bearings faces on the inner sides J thereof; a carrier supported by said follower casings, said carrier having end walls and a central partition wall, said partition wan be ing longitudinally disposed and having bearing faces on opposite sides thereof; and a '36 laminated plate spring interposed between each side member and the partition wall of the carrier, said laminated plate springs being held against relative movement lengthwise of the carrier by the end walls of the latw ter, each of said laminated plate springs in,- cluding a flat plate spring element and a plurality of reversely arranged teles'coped U-shaped spring plate members embracing said element. i

' In witness that I claiinthe foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 25th day of July, 1928. A

JOHN F. OCQNNOR. v 

